Tourism agency names new leader

ST. PETERSBURG — Visit St. Pete/Clearwater named Steve Hayes, president of Visit Pensacola, its new president and CEO. He starts his new position Dec. 16. 

“I am very proud of our team at Visit Pensacola and our many accomplishments over the last six and a half years,” Hayes says in the release. “More importantly, I am grateful to our stakeholders, the community and Escambia County for the opportunity to be its leader and to grow this economic engine. It has been a team effort and an experience that I will always treasure. While this decision is bittersweet the new position provides me a unique professional opportunity and brings us closer to our Central Florida family.”

Taking over the position in early 2013, Hayes led the organization and delivered continual growth in visitors to Escambia County, the release says. Some of his key accomplishments include working collaboratively to create a stand-alone organization with the sole purpose of promoting tourism and increasing marketing efforts on a national scale including presence in New York City, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City and Philadelphia.